Microsoft said on Friday that it plans next month to end support for a test version of its Live Framework, which was essentially the developer side of its Live Mesh service.

The idea of Live Framework is to give developers of Web-based applications the ability to add desktop components, while those writing traditional applications could use the Live Framework to add synchronizing and other online capabilities.

In a blog posting, Microsoft said it plans to integrate many of the concepts behind the Live Framework into the next version of Windows Live. In the mean time, though, developers will lose access to the test version of the Live Framework as of September 8.

"The Live Framework will be integrated into the next release of Windows Live. Stay tuned to Dev.live.com for more details in the future," Microsoft said in its blog. "If you are a Live Framework technology preview user, we ask you to please download any data and/or code from the service prior to September 8th as well as remove your devices from the service."

Developers can expect to hear more about where Microsoft plans to go with Live Framework at this November's Professional Developer Conference.

Microsoft rolled out the Live Framework as a community technology preview at last year's Professional Developer Conference, though its launch was somewhat overshadowed by the debut of Windows Azure. At the time, Microsoft said it was supporting both platforms, with Azure being a more basic set of building blocks and the Live Framework a collection of more finished services.

Microsoft's consumer-facing Live Mesh application is not affected by the move, Microsoft said.

About the author

During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina.
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